Did you ever find your dream rose? I hope you have, and it is the same image as in your dreams. Personally all I could think of is the long skinny bare stems after the Japanese Beetles got thru with it, with no chemical control. Sorry..............

I realize this is an old post, but I'll add my two cents on this. I've grown some of these roses: Jeanne Lajoie - which is actually a miniature climbing rose, Eden, The Fairy, John Davis and Viking Queen. My favorite of the bunch is John Davis. I have two of these - one of which grows on a green birdpost in an open field unpampered! It's very hardy and disease resistant. It blooms like crazy in June, like most roses and on and off again through Sept. Here's my input on the other roses you've listed: Eden - not hardy in my garden and blooms very little, Viking Queen - beautiful, hardy rose, but the blooms are also sporadic, The Fairy - not a climber, but a shrub, New Dawn - I don't have this rose, but my sister does. She said it's very thorny, no fragrance and grows by leaps and bounds, Zepherine Droughin (sp?) is a Bourbon thornless rose. I don't grow it, so I have no comments, and finally, Awakening is a sport of New Dawn. The only difference is that flower shape are double blooms (think more petals) vs. New Dawn's semi-double blooms. As for the Japanese beetles, yes, that is an issue with all roses, especially the light colored ones - yellow, white, pink. I spray them with soapy water. I don't use chemicals in my yards - 4 dogs, plus I hate spraying chemicals into the environment. Hope this info helps!

thanks midsummer! i actually went with Zepherine Drouhin (sp?) and looooooove it! it didn't bloom much year 1 but it HAS gotten tall considering this is chicago - about 5' or so in the first summer - i'm thrilled with this! lovely old fashioned pink roses and best of all, NO thorns!

i also got a climber called Joseph's Coat bc my DP saw and loved it and bought it on a whim at the local HD. i really dislike this rose - it is beyond thorny to the point it rips the skin right off you! the colors are lovely but it's going someplace else come Spring - sorry Joseph! i like to walk around in my front garden without being scarred. :)

i also picked up a HT called Angel Face which is so fragrant it knocks me out. everyone who stops by comments on it first, forget all the big sprays of climbers i'm trying to get going - lol! so i guess next year i just need to get some more wildly fragrant roses like Angel Face and i'm set! btw, Angel Face was never without a bloom her whole first year - very very impressive!

thanks again for all the great advice guys! i'm sure to buy more climbers in the future and now i have a fantastic customized list to choose from - you all are the best!! :)

kelly

How are your Zepherine & Angel Face doing? I am trying to pick 2 climbing roses- 1 for an arbor & 1 for a pergola. I also would like a purple & saw Angel Face at my lcal rose place (zone 6)

Hi all! Dani33, you asked for a follow up. Zepherine is now 2 years old and frankly just limping along. Doubtless my fault for planting her in partial shade to begin with (but it was the only location left to get a climber going around the front porch like I wanted) :-( Also we've had 2 frigid Chicago winters and no I didn't cover her or burlap her or even cover up her roots. I guess its amazing she's alive at all! So far no leaves so maybe she didn't make it? I'll try to remember to let u know when I see any activity on her.

Angel Face remains happy as lark. She's planted right next to Zephy (also part shade) but I looove this plant for its unusal mauvey-blue color, *endless* blooms, and its amazing fragrance. It's just a wonderful thing to admire and sniff :)

Was just thinking today of putting some new climbers on the VERY sunny south wall of our house which gets wonderful air flow and all day sunshine. Much more rose-friendly I think. Something that has some fragrance cuz that window is open a lot in summer and has fat rose hips for the birds in winter. Thorny but not insane (no more Josephs Coat or Pink Dawn). Reason for rose here? Its where our wild birds perch while waiting their turn at the feeder - and my cats love to watch their "bird tv" from that window! :) Currently there's a mulberry bush there but I'm getting rid of it bc I've never liked mulberry bushes (sorry mulberries!)

Would only need to get as tall as the window maybe 9 -12'? Thought of putting a crabapple there so the birds could chow in berries all winter -- but then I'll have squirrels leaping from the branches, stealing all the birds' seed. So I think a climbing rose around that window is the way to go - squirrels don't like thorns or tiny branches that won't support them.

You guys really are so smart and helpful!! I really have appreciated all the thoughtful feedback!

Best
~Kelly (in Chicago, not Indiana now!)